Curtain-stretcher.



PATENTBD SEPT. 1o, 1907.

E R.,0RBIN. CURTAIN STRETGHER.

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PATENTBD SEPT. 10, 1907.

E. R. O RBIN. CURTAIN STRBTGHER.

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PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN R. ORBIN, OF DUQUESNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 1o, 1907( Application filed December 17.1906. Serial No. 348,222.

To all whom it may concern:

Bc it known that I, EDWIN R. ORBIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duquesne, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a frame of novel form designed most especially for stretching lace curtains after being laundered, and which may be used to advantage for supporting quilts, counterpanes, bed covering generally and draperies, such as portires.

The invention contemplates, essentially, a metallic frame adjustable in length and width and a supporting structure therefor, the latter adapted to sustain the frame in any required position and likewise serving to brace the frame and prevent warping or twisting thereof when subjected to tension by the curtain or other article attached thereto.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a front view of a stretcher frame and supports therefor embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the parts illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a corner section. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a corner section, having the members folded. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line .'c-x of Fig. l, showing the parts on a larger scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the viens of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The frame is collapsible and adjustable and comprises four corner sections, each section consisting of hinged members and a brace, the latter serving to maintain the rectangular outline of the frame when in service` Each member of a corner section is of like formation, being constructed of angle iron having hooks along the edge of one flange to receive the curtain or other article to be attached to the frame either for drying, airing or other purpose. The wings or iianges of the angle iron are arranged relatively at a right angle to each other and l one of the flanges or wings, namely, that arranged at a right angle to the plane of the frame when set up, has an inclined portion 1 which is bent to extend at approximately ve degrees from the plane of the wing or flange frame is set up and are secured by means of fastenings 4 which pass through slots 5 in the members, the construction being such as to admit of the members of adjacent corner sections sliding one upon the other to vary the size of the frame to suit the nature of the work in hand. The hooks or pins 2 curve outwardly in the saine direction as the flanges or wings arranged in the plane of the frame, with the result that the curtain or other drapery or article is prevented from accidental disengagement froml the hooks either by a current of air or from other cause.

The members 3 may be hinged in any manner and the braces 6 are pivoted to one member at 7, and are detachably connected with the other member and are fastened thereto by bolts 8 or like means.

When thc 'frame is collapsed or reduced to compact form to be stowed away, the members of the corner sections are folded one upon the other, after the bolts or fastenings 8 have been removed from one end of the braces 6.

When the frame is set up for use, the corner sections are stayed by means of the braces, their free ends being secured by means of the bolts or fastenings 8 and the overlapped ends of corresponding members of the sections are secured in the adjusted position by means of bolts or fastenings 4. l

For holding the frame in upright position and bracing the same, supports are provided, each support consisting of a bar 9 and a brace 10, the latter being pivoted or hinged at 11 to the bar 9. Oblong openings 12 are formed in the lower ends of the bars 9 and braces 1() to receive stakes or pins 13 which are driven into the ground so as to hold the supports in the desired position against casual displacement. The bars 9 and braces 10 are likewise formed from angle iron. A slot 14 is provided in the upper portion of each bar 9 and an opening 15 is formed near its lower end. The horizontal members of the corner sections are formed with slots 16 which receive bolts or fastenings 17 employed for connecting the frame to the bars 9 of the supports. slots 14 and 16 admit of adjusting the frame both vertically and horizontally.

The pins 13 are formed at one end with an eye and the opposite end portion is made tapering and formed with a thread, thereby admitting of either tightening or loosening the pins by inserting a rod or bar in the eye and turning the pin either to the right or to the left, as may be required. When the supports are set up, they are made secure by passing the pins 13 through the openings 12 of the parts 9 and 10, the screw pointed ends of said pins being forced into the ground either by delivering blows thereon or by the application of pressure thereto and simultaneously turning the same.

It is observed that the supports are located intermediate of the end bars of the frame, hence serve to stay and brace the same and prevent warping and twisting The thereof, when in service. The angle bar from which the frame is constructed may be 0i sheet steel bent into required shape or may be formed of any designed metal, and in the event of iron or steel being employed, the same may be'tinned or galvanized to prevent corroding or oxidizing. The hooks or pins 2 are integrally formed by pressing, stamping or cutting an edge portion of a flange or Wing, and said hooks or pins are made rounding or otherwise finished to prevent the formation of sharp corners which Would be liable to injure lace curtains or other fabric attached to the frame for drying or other purpose.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: i

l. A stretcher frame comprising corner sections, each corner section comprising hinged members, corresponding members of the corner sections being adapted to overlapl and having longitudinal slots to receive fastenings by means of which the sections are ndjustably connected, and a brace for each corner section pivotally connected to one member of the section and detnchably connected to the other member of the section.

2. In combination` a stretcher frame comprising corner sections each corner section consisting of hinged members, corresponding members of the corner sections being adapted to overlap and having longitudinal slots to receive fastenings by means of which the sections are adjustably and detachably connected, one member of each corneisection beingl provided with a longitudinal slot 1G, and supports for said frame, said supports embodying a pair of bars und braces therefor, and fastenings 17 secured to said bars und extending through the slots 1G of the corner sections.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ED\VIN R. ORBIN. [L. S.]

Witnesses FRED. GERDTS, JOSEPH Fm'` 

